Tom Brady made a similar plea to Patriots fans last year, but the team quickly, and unconvincingly, said he meant fans should stay hydrated. A better follow-up would be for the Vikings to say that pregame imbibing is welcome, provided fans stay responsible in the parking lot, while cheering in the stadium and on the roads after the game. There's a way to downplay Greenway's suggestion without naively acting like tailgates are bastions of clean living.

Anyway, the concept that drunk fans equals loud fans seems suspect to me. (The obnoxious thing -- that I get.) In my experience, by the time the third quarter rolls around, the people who overdid in the parking lot are too exhausted to cheer.

Minnesota went 1-7 at home last season, which, by Greenway's estimation, must have meant fans were drinking Diet Pepsi in the parking lot. And if drunken fans were currency for victory, the Eagles would have at least one Super Bowl by now.